Marine engine cooler



June 27, 1950 J. E. WEEKS 2,513,124

MARINE- ENGINE COOLER Filed May 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

a)? f Web rs iz/M5 )f/ June 27, 1950 J. E. WEIKS MARINE ENGINE COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1945 IN V EN TOR 1/5/71? I: I Ke/As 6 H 7' TORNE Y Patented June 27, 1 950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARINE ENGINE COOLER John E. Weiks, Seattle, Wash.

Application May 28, 1945, Serial No. 596,273

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a marine engine cooler.

An object of this invention is to provide a marine engine cooler of a type in which fresh water is used in the engine jacket for cooling purposes and sea water is used in the cooler to cool the fresh water.

Another object is to provide a tubular type marine engine cooler of novel and efficient construction that is not expensive to manufacture and that is comparatively easy to install in connection with marine engines now in common use.

Another object is to provide a marine engine cooler that is very compact in construction that is particularly well adapted to be installed within small boats rather than on the exterior thereof and that is arranged so that all parts are readily accessible for installation servicing and repair.

Another object is to provide a marine engine cooler which will maintain a marine engine at a constant temperature best calculated for efficient operation and fuel economy irrespective of variations in the operating speed of said engine.

Another object is to provide eflicient means for mimimizing damage, due to galvanic action, in a marine engine cooler through which sea water is circulated.

Another object is to provide eflicient baffle plate means for distributing a flow of fresh water around the exterior of a plurality of tubes that are cooled by circulating sea water therethrough so that the fresh water is properly distributed as respects the tubes and is caused to travel at an even velocity along the tubes thus insuring a high cooling efiiciency.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a marine engine cooler constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of said cooler taken substantially on broken line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in end elevation and partly in cross section taken substantially on broken line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

, Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on broken line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Figs. 5 and 6 are two detached plan views on larger scale than Fig. 7 and taken substantially on broken line 88 of Fig. 7 illustrating said modified baflie plate means, the tubes being:

omitted. v 1

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views:

This cooler comprises an outer cylindrical shell l0 having two tube sheets II and I2 fixedly connected with opposite ends thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. Twoybowl shaped end manifolds l3 and 14 are secured to the respective tube sheets H and I2 at the two ends of the cooler, preferably by bolts l5. A gasket I5 is preferably provided between each manifold and the adjacent tube sheet.

A plurality of tubes [6 extend lengthwisewithin theshell l0 and have their respective ends secured in the tube sheets. The connections between the end portions of the tubes l6 and the tube sheets II and I2 are all watertight. One preferred way of providing these watertight connections is to expand the tubes IS in the tube sheets II and I2. Another way is to form these connections between the tubes and tube sheets by soldering, as with silver solder. When these tubes are fixedly connected to the tube sheets it is necessary to design the cooler so as to compensate for unequal expansion and contraction. This is preferably done by bowing or curving the tubes or making them slightly crooked, as shown in Fig. 2. When the tubes are thus slightly bowed they will have enough longitudinal elasticity to compensate for the slight inequalities in expansion and contraction to which they are subjected without danger of breaking the seals between these tubes and the tube sheets.

While I have shown the tubes as curved in different directions I find that these tubes can be drained more easily, in the event itis necessary to drain the same, if all of said tubes are bowed upwardly. The baflie plates 22 and 23 are also preferably curved.

Preferably a galvanic retarder in the form of a plate 9 of zinc or black iron is providedin at least one of the manifolds such as manifold 14.

This plate 9 maybe secured asby one or morev bolts 9' to the manifold I4. Under the galvanic to maintain a high level of sea water and keep 4 bafiie plate 22 will tend to flow evenly around the end of said plate 22 shown at the right, while the shape of the end of plate 23 shown at the left will permit the flow of a larger volume of fresh water at the center and a lesser volume toward the edges and yet maintain a substantially constant velocity or rate of travel of the fresh water in all partsv of. the shell ID. This regulation of thefiow f r shw by the share Qf t Slot ZI and the shape. of thetwo openings, 24; and 25 is important as it tends to keep the velocity of the fresh water in all parts of the shell 29 sub- "stantially constant, helps to provide an even substantially all of these tubes full of sea' water 1 at all times. This flood plate I9 is preferably secured to the adjacent tube sheet II, is spaced from said tube sheet II and is cut away at th shell -I0-'--and communicatively connected there with as hereinafter explained. The fresh water receptacle herein disclosed is or inverted U- shape in cross section, slightly shorter in length than the shell I 0, and mayhave its 'edge portionsbrazed or welded or-"soldered to the shell HP. The fresh water receptacle 20 communicates with the shellIll by means of a slot 2I provided in the wall of the shell 10' near the sea. water discharge manifold It. The slot 2| is relatively long and extends throughout the upper one-third of thfe'circum ference of the shell I0. Preferably this slot-2|- is narrower at its two ends'and is wider way of itslength so' as to distribute the "fresh waterin the correct proportion *to theexpos'ed; tube are "in the upper compartment of the shell I0. more freshwater 'is admitted to demeaniportion of; this'upper compartment and less teward the" edges there more tubes inthe mediafportion of this" compartment than there are t'owar-d the edges. *The shell II! is"pmovidedwith two longitudinally extending horizontal baflle plates 22-- and 23*that are positionedbetween-groups of the tubes "I5 and divide the shell into three oompartments positioned one above another. M -The e'nd of the upperbaffle plate 22-, that is shown at the left in Fig. 2, is positioned closely against the tube sheet II.- The other end' of said bafileplate' 22, see Fig. 5, is spaced from the tube sheet I2 to provide an opening 24 between theend of said baffle plate 22 and the tube sheet I-2-, shownat the right in Fig. 2. The lower bafile plate 23 has the end thereof thatis shown atthe right, Figs. 2 and 6, positioned closely against the tube sheet I2." The other end of said baffle plate 23 is concavely recessed, see Fig. 6, to-leave an opening 25" adjacent the tube sheet II at the left, Fig. 2. 1

The configuration of the ends of the baflie plates "22 and 23 by which the openings 24 and 25 are provided is such as to distribute the fresh watensubstantially evenly to the 'tubes'of the compartment this water; is entering. Thus'fresh Water entering the medial compartment"below approximately Cooling of. the water, and increases the general efiqciency 0f. the cooler. "Thefresh water entering the shell I0 through the slot; flo ws to the right, Fig. 2, throughout the length of the upper fresh water compartment; thence down through opening 24, thence to the left, Fig. 2, throughout the length of the medial fresh water compartment, thence down through opening 25, thence to the right, EigfZ, throughout the length. of the lower compartment and thence out of the shell I0. throughan'opening: 26;

' It. will be noted thatthe direction of flow of the fresh water in both the upper compartment and the lowerfcompartment is: counter to "the direction of flow of: the sea water through the tubes: I6. and' this helps to make. the"'c'ooler' highly eflicient.

' A'filler opening 44. arranged to be closed by a cap 45 is preferably provided in the upper portion of. the: fresh. waterreceptaclen. "Cap 45 has a pressure reliefvent div-to the atmosphere.

The. conduit means thatv receives the fresh Water-as .it discharges from the openin 26 is preferably a transverse pipe 2.1. The pipe 21 is connected with the shell I!) by a saddle member 28 that is welded or brazed or soldered. to both the pipe 2 and. the shellv II]. The pip'e'Z-I has an opening that registers with the fresh water out-' the fresh Water conduit 30 and the other end of said pipe 2'! will be closed as by aplugtl.

To prevent trapping-air in the end [portion of theshell shown atthe rightinFig. 2, I preferably provide, at this end, an air v'en't 20"of very small diameter in the wall of theshell I'D. leading 'intoxtheffresh water receptacle 2.0;

A small drainageventflficis preferably provided in the bottom portionof the floodplate. I:9 teassist in the drainage .of...sea water.

Bracke menihersflq erasesrea to the, mare na porti ns Qt ube. s eet 1!. a d. .2.) referably by cap screws 4'! that screw into. threaded holes 48,. Several sets of the h olesf lfl-are provi e of ha hese 'mg ne" b ack ts 51' can e adjusted around 'the cooler to'varioiis os'iuqns' as ma e d a ta eous y diffe ent ipst ll t fqn pr de iqrjq' iis'z ly "heating .tl ir e h water when a cold motoris first started I preferably employ a conventional thermostatic control unit comprisin a a1 .m m tr132' me e e bye temperature "responsive member 34 0f bellows typey r This thermostatic contrgl unit is disposed in a housing 35 that is securedto an end of the fresh Water receptacle 20. The housing 35 communicates' with the interior of thefreshwater-receptacle by a passageway 36. A fresh water inlet' opening 31 in the lower portion of the housing 35 is connected by conduit-means 38 with a motor to be cooled whereby water from jacket spaces of a motor may enter the housing 35; a I

Preferably a duplicate of the opening 31 is promostat valve. The other valve element 33 of the thermostat valve is arranged "to rest on'a seat 42 when the member 34 iscold. The cap14ll is connected by conduit means 43" with the fresh water outlet pipe 21.

In starting a cold motor the water will be cold and this cold water entering through the opening 31 will pass upwardly around the thermostat 34 thence through tubular ,valve member 32 into cap 40, see broken line arrows Fig. 2, and willthence by-pass the cooler and flow through conduits 43, 21 and 30 back tothe motor. While the cold water is thus by-passing the cooler the valve 33 will be held closed on seat 42 by the cold thermostat 34. As soon as the water begins to heat up the thermostat 34 will begin to expand. This will begin to open the valve 33 and, at the same time, will begin to close the opening between the top of the tubular valve member 32 and the top wall of the cap 40. This valve action will continue until the fresh water has become heated to a predetermined normal operating temperature. By the time this normal operating temperature is reached the valve 33 will be fully open and the tubular valve 32 will be firmly closed aganst the top wall of the cap 40. The fresh water will then follow a course through the cooler as indicated by the arrows in full lines in Fig. 2.

The thermostat will thus operate in the manner above described to keep the motor always at the temperature best suited to efficient operation irrespective of the speed of the motor.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a modification of the invention in which upright baflie members are used in place of the horizontal bafiie members to provide an evenly distributed flow of water in a circuitous path in a shell 50 that is similar to the shell l0. Fig. 7 shows four upright bafile plates or members 5|, 52, 53 and 54 in the shell 50 but obviously any desired number of said bafile plates may be used. These baflie plates 5| to 54 may be of duplicate construction but are alternately reversed in position in the shell 50 so that the water will be deflected from side to side of the shell 50 as it progresses from one end to the other of this shell.

The side of each bafiie plate 5| to 54 that the water passes around is preferably shaped as shown in Fig. 8 so that an even velocity will be maintained and the water will be distributed substantially evenly to the tubes in the compartment toward which it is moving. Thus Fig. 8 shows the top portion of the plate 52 cut away along a straight line 55 across the medial portion of the plate and along inclined lines 56 toward the edges of the plate. This allows more water to flow over the central portion of the plate 52 and passes a uniformly diminishing amount of water toward the sides of the plate where the tube area in the-shell 50'is less-than itthe central portionof saidsliell.-

lhe'tubes-are not shown in Figs. 7 and 8 but when upright baffle plates such as 5| to 54 are used these tubes 'will= necessarily pass through the baflie plates Under these circumstances itis not possible to use the curved or crooked tubes and provision made at the location where the tubes connectwith-the tube sheets for taking care of 7 expansion and contraction of the tubes.

as theinstallation of this marine engine cooler thecooler is always placed in a substantially up right-position as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, 7 and 8. In-the'operation of this marine engine cooler sea a water is pumped, byany suitable means, through the tubes ofthe cooler and, at' the same time, warm freshwaterfrom the engine jacket is circulated through the shell 10 around the tubes. Thus the operating temperature of the motor is very-=accurately regulated and at the same time the "motor protected from the direct action of the-seawater; r

The'foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly-disclose a preferred embodiment of myinventio'n but it willbe understood that changes intheiinvention may be made within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a marine engine cooler, a horizontally disposed cylindrical shell; tube sheets at the ends of said shell cooperating therewith to form a housing; substantially evenly distributed tubes extending through said housing and having end portions connected with said tube sheets, where-- by said tubes communicate with the space outside of said tube sheets; means adapted to pass: liquid for cooling purposes through said tubes; means adapted to pass liquid to be cooled through said housing external to said tubes; and two longitudinally extending substantially parallel baflle plates disposed in said housing on opposite sides of the axis thereof dividing said housing into a medial compartment of uniform width between said baiiie plates and two compartments of segmental cross sectional shape between the respective baflie plates and the housing wall, two alternate ends of the respective bafiie plates being positioned in water obstructing proximity to the respective tube sheets, the other two ends of the respective bafiie plates being spaced from the respective tube sheets providing flow passageways, the end of the baffle plate past which water flows into the medial compartment being sub-- stantially straight to provide a flow passageway of substantially equal width from side to side of the housing and the end of the baflle plate past which water flows from the medial compartment to one of the segmentally shaped compartments being arcuately and concavely recessed to provide a fiow passageway of segmental shape and gradually decreasing area'from the center toward the edges, whereby the velocity of the water in all parts of the two compartments will be substantially uniform and a substantially uniform amount of water will contact all of the tubes in said two compartments.

2. In a marine engine cooler, a horizontally disposed cylindrical shell; tube sheets connected with the ends of said shell cooperating therewith to form a housing; substantially evenly distributed tubes extending through said housing and having end portions connected with said tube sheets whereby said tubes communicate with the space outside of said tube sheets; means adapted to pass liquid for cooling purposes through said 

